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Little is known about Ben's personal life, other than he met and married his wife Eileen and led a happy life with her. Recently, the two developed a retirement plan and intended to do activities they always wanted to do together once they put it into action. However, Eileen came down with an unidentified degenerative neurological disease and received a terminal diagnosis, being left with six months to live. Desperate to save his wife, Ben tried searching for possible treatments to the disease, but couldn't find any. Eventually, he found a hospital in Florida that specialized in advanced medical research and rented an apartment there. All the while, Eileen started to accept her fate and felt that her death was for the best for their relationship.

Ben is first seen at the Florida hospital with Eileen, waiting for her results. Doctor Laura Braga returns with the results and informs them that there are drugs that could minimize the symptoms. When Ben demands to know how long Eileen has to live, and she replies with six months. Though Eileen tries to tell Ben it's alright, he starts to talk about everything they have done throughout their lives and that the next step in their marriage is retirement, which Ben couldn't bear to experience alone. Braga instructs Eileen to return to the hospital tomorrow morning for a treatment strategy. She gives Ben the prescription for a medication called Duloxetine, an anti-depressant. Ben voices his dissatisfaction with the results, but Braga suggests cherishing the time they have left together. Then, an orderly steps into the office with a wheelchair for Eileen. Later, at the apartment, Ben talks about getting a cruise to see the aurora lights. Eileen apologizes for letting Ben down and wants him to continue on by living the life that they talked about alone, but adds that she will always be there with him. However, Ben continues to insist that Eileen will get better.

After Eileen falls asleep, Ben muses in another room. He gets a knock on the door; answering, he sees the same orderly from before standing there, wanting to talk to him. He introduces himself as Robert Boles and tells Ben that he has something that could save Eileen's life. Ben finds it hard to trust Boles because he is not a doctor, but Boles replies that a doctor can't offer Ben what he is offering because it isn't legal. Then, he asks Ben if he is willing to break the rules to ensure his wife's improved condition. In response, Ben asks about the treatment, and Boles replies that it is the transfusion of a formula that he has been working on. Ben thinks it is risky, but Boles insists that if he does nothing, Eileen will die. Ben subsequently agrees, and Boles gives Eileen the transfusion. Afterwards, he tells Ben that she needs another transfusion in three days. Ben asks if he will see the results, and Boles says that they could appear soon. After Boles leaves, Eileen asks Ben if he is gone, and he confirms it. As she becomes exhausted, Eileen wonders why Braga didn't say anything about Boles's treatment while they were at her office. Ben replies that it must have slipped her mind.

Later, Eileen steps out of her room and says she is feeling better, which excites Ben. Eileen tells him that she wants to take a short walk and they both hug. The following night, Ben and Eileen dance. He asks her how she feels, and she replies that she is happy. Ben says it is a miracle; though Eileen is not cured, she says that this is the closest she felt to her old self in months. The next morning, Ben receives a newspaper from the door, reads it, and sees an article about Braga having gone missing. Later, Eileen comes to Ben, coughing. He calls Boles, telling him that Eileen has trouble breathing. At first, Ben thinks about calling 911, but Boles refuses, saying that Eileen just needs another transfusion. He then gives Ben directions to his laboratory, claiming it is safer to do the transfusion there. Ben finds the lab, and Boles wheels Eileen into a room and leaves both of them. While waiting for Boles, Ben comforts Eileen, who says she is cold. Deciding to call an ambulance, he leaves the room and looks for Boles. He finds him about to kill a woman, which shocks Ben. Suddenly, the BAU arrive at the lab and arrest Boles. Afterwards, Ben tells them about Eileen and leads Hotch and JJ to the room where she is at. By the time they get to her, however, Eileen dies in Ben's arms, which devastates him.

Vaughn Armstrong, the actor who portrays Ben Kebler, had previously appeared on an earlier episode of Criminal Minds, appearing in the Season Four episode Memoriam, in which he portrayed Vernon Duncanson.